Apparatus for extinguishing fire in oil-tanks or the like.



"No. 705,925. Patented July 29, 1902-.

' J. HAZLEDINE. APPABATUSFOR EXTINGUISHING'FIRE m on. TANKS on THE LIKE.

(Application fll'edflct. 19, 190i.)

-(lo Model.)

.3 Sheets-Sheet l.

- Imm muggm .H. 2 z W f WITNESSES: 29

THE NORRIS warms co. PHorou'rMo" wnsumswu, n4

No. 705,925. Patented July 29, I902.

J. HAZLED'INE.

APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE IN OIL TANKS OR THE LIKE (Application filed Oct. 19, 190;. (No Model.) 3 Sheets- Sheet v2.

v WITNESSES: I INVENTOI?! I "m: Norms warns co, vaoraurno wnsnmomu. u, c.

No. 705,925. -.Patented July 29,1902.

J. HAZLEDINE. APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHiNG FIRE IN OIL TANKS OR THE LIKE.

(Application filed Oct. 19, 1901;) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

IN VENTOH.

WITNESSES! W CF24 g dfi fw Ur Ta: uonms PETERS 0a.. PHDTD-LITHQ, wAsmuorum a. 1:.,

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN I-IAZLEDINE, OF PHIL APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING ADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE lN OIL-TANKS OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,925, dated July 29, 1902.

Application filed October 19,1901. Serial No. 79,264, (Nan model) To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HAZLEDINE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Extinguishing Fire in Oil-Tanks or the Like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a plan View; Fig. 2, Sheet 2, a sectional side elevation, the oilcontaining tank and disk therein and the pipes being shown in section and the other parts in side elevation. Figs." 3 and 4, Sheet 1, are different views,'enlarged, of a detail. Fig. 5, Sheet 3, is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing a modification of a feature of the invention. V

The object of this invention is to provide means for the immediate extinguishing of fire in oil-containing tanks, and thereby preventing the liability to the heavy pecuniary loss and the loss of life which, as is well known, sometimes occurs when'petroleum contained in large tanks is set on fire, usually by lightning.

My invention, broadly considered, consists of the combination, with an oil-containing tank, of a vertically-movable plate or disk within and of somewhat less diameter than that of the interior ofthe tank; suitable de Vices for retaining said disk normally in position adjacent to the bottom of the tank; means adapted to elevate said disk in the tank when said retaining devices are released in case of the oil taking fire, whereby the disk will be caused to rise up through the oil, the latter passing between the side of the tank and the periphery of the disk and into the space beneath'thedisk and the fire be extinguished immediately after the disk has raised above the level of the oil, as hereinafi ter described.

The invention also comprises, in combination with the foregoing elements or parts, a flange or annulus projecting inwardly from the tank, against which annulus the peripheral part of the said disk is adapted to stop, and thus prevent the ingress of air into the space in the tank beneath the annulus.

The invention also consists in the combination, with said tank and the verticallymovable plate or disk and means tending continually to elevate the latter within the tank, of devices for retaining the disk normally adjacent to' the bottom of the tank, which are adapted to be released by the heat of the burning oil in the tank upon the occurrence of a fire.

The invention consists, further, in certain features and details of construction that are designed to render the operation of the apparatus more perfect under all the circumstances, as hereinafter particularly described.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the usual oil-containing tank, (devoid of oil,) which'is generally made of strong sheet or plate metal. Within this tank I place a disk 2, whose diameter is somewhat less-say two inches or less in practicethan the internal diameter of the tank; Preferably this disk is of dished form, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5, and when of this form I connect thereto a central outlet-pipe 3, the purpose of which, as well as the purpose of the dished form, will be hereinafter explained. The disk is connected by a series of non-inflammable ropes 4: or the like, such as wire ropes or chains, with weights 5, said ropes passing over sheaves 6, that-are journaled in brackets 7 upon the top of posts 8 at the side of the tank. The said weights in the aggregate more than counterbalance the weight of the-disk 2, so that they'shall always tend to elevate the latter. Normally the disk is in the relative position shown in the drawingsthat is, adjacent to the bottom of the tank--in which position it is retained against the tendency of the weights 5 to raise it bya chain or rope 9, which is secured to the under side of the bottom of the tank and passes under sheaves 10, that are journaled in lugs projecting from the bottom of the tank, and thence passes through an eye 11 in the disk and over a sheave 12, that is journaled on a bracket 13, which is secured to the top of one of the posts 8. To the other end of the said rope or chain 9 is attached a rope or ribbon 14 of material that will readily burn or fuse by heat, which ribbon is secured to the side of the tank, thus extend across the top of the latter. I

The before-mentioned outlet-pipe 3 extends from the top of thedisk 2 through the bottom of the tank down into a closed well or pipe 15, the same passing through a stuffingbox 16 on the upper part of the well. The purpose of the stuffing-box is to prevent oil from escaping from the tank into the well except through pipe 3. 17 is a lateral pipe that communicates with the said well and is provided with an ordinary gate-valve 18.

It willbe seen from the construction just described that the pipe 3 may rise and fall with the disk without allowing the escape of oil from the well. Ipreferably make the said disk hollow, as seen in the drawings, and connect with the interior-thereof, near the outer edge of the disk, pipes 19 and 20, which, similarly to the pipe 3, pass through stuffing-boxes 21 into Wells 22. A pipe 23 communicates with a source of water-supply and leads into the well of pipe 19, and a pipe 24 communicates with the well of pipe 20 and has a valve therein (not shown) which is normally closed.

The valve 18 in pipe 17 is kept normally closed in order to prevent escape of oil from the tank by way of said pipe, but is adapted to be opened by means of a device that is caused directly or indirectly to operate by the heat of the burning oil should a fire occur. One form of this device is as follows: A bar 25 within the tank has on its inner end a hollow sphere or float 26, that is adapted to be engaged by a guide or projection 27, that is secured to and projects above the level of the top of the disk 2, as clearly seen in Fig. 2. In the drawings the tank is shown devoid of oil, and the float then rests upon the projection 27, as shown. The upper end of bar 25 is pivoted on a stud 28 of the before-mentioned bracket 13 and is expanded to form a yoke 29, through which projects a slidable bolt 30. Within the yoke and encircling that part of the bolt is an open spring 31, the forward end of which bears against a lug 32, that projects from the said bolt. Connected with the free end of the said lug and extending along the bar 25, to which it is secured, is an inflammable or fusible cord or ribbon 33, which serves to maintain the bar 25 normally in the retracted position (shown in the drawings) against the stress of the spring 31. Journaled on the stud 28 is a wheel 34, having peripheral teeth 35. One end of a rod 36 is pivotally connected eccentrically to the wheel 34 and its other end is pivoted to one arm of a rock-lever 37, that is supported on the top of the bracket 13. From the other arm of this lever depends a rod 38, whose lower end is pivoted to one arm of a second rock-lever 39, to whose other arm is connected a rod 40, that is secured to the gate 41 of the aforesaid valve 18 in pipe 17.

Secured to the inner side of the tank 1, near the top thereof, is an inwardly-projecting flange or annulus the function of which will hereinafter appear in the explanation of the mode of operation of the apparatus. This mode of operation is as follows: The tank being filled or partially filled with oil and it (the oil) should take fire from any cause the fusible connection or ribbon 14 will become fused by the heat, whereupon the disk 2, being freed to be acted upon by the weights 5, will rise in the tank, and as it rises the oil will flow down through the space between the tank and the periphery of the disk. At or about the time the said ribbon becomes fused and the ascent of the disk begins the heat of the burning oil fuses the ribbon 33, that is carried by bar 25, thereby releasing the bolt 30, which is then projected forward by the spring 31 until its free end engages with a tooth of the wheel 34. As the disk continues to rise the projection 27 impinges against the float 26, which is riding upon the surface of the oil, and so pushes it up, consequently compelling the bar 25 to turn on its pivot. This causes the wheel 34 to rotate, thereby by the described rod and lever connections between it and the gate of the valve 18 opening the latter. The oil above the level of the disk then begins to flow radially toward the centerof the latter and escapes through the pipe 3 into the well15, thence by way of the lateral pipe 17 into the ground or into a suitable receptacle. The height of the projection 27 above the level of the disk is preferably such that the valve 18 will be caused to open when the surface of the oil is about an inch and a half or two inches above the level of the top of the disk. The object of this is to establish a flow of the oil from the circumferential toward the central part of the disk and tank before the peripheral part of the disk has risen above the level of the oil. Thus the oil above the disk escapes through the pipe 3, and as the disk continues to rise the amount and area of burning oil in the dish of the same gradually but quickly diminishes, and finally the little fire that remains is smothered in the outlet-pipe 3. If the top of the disk were flat, the burning oil continuing to flow toward the periphery of the disk to pass through the space between it and the tank as the disk emerged from the oil there would be liability of the flame being carried to the oil beneath the disk. As the disk continues to ascend it finally stops against the annulus .42 and prevents the ingress of air below the latter and, so to say, smothers the flame of any oil that may exist below the disk-as, for example, that of the oil that may adhere to the sides of the tank.

I sometimes provide at the periphery of the disk 2 a downwardly projecting annular flange or skirt 43, the lower edge of which is intended to be always below the level of the oil in the tank, so as to insure the prevention of the passage of the flame beneath the disk 2.

The purpose of having the disk 2 hollow is to enable it to be charged with waterin order to keep it cool when a fire occurs, so as to prevent any liability of the heat of the-burning oil injuring or warping the disk and of generatin g gases from the oil in the space beneath the latter. The disk would be kept filled with water supplied by way of the pipe 23, in which case the valve in the outlet-pipe 24 would be closed. If, however, it be desired to allow the water to flow through the disk when a fire occurs, the said valve will be opened.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings of that feature of my invention providing for the automatic outlet of the oil through the pipe 3 of disk 2 I use a valve 44, that is adapted to seat in the end of the said pipe 3, the stem of which valve is connected to one arm of a lever 45, that is pivoted to a post 46, which rises from the disk 2. On the end of the other arm of said lever is afloat 47. The construction is such that normally. the float by its buoyancy in the oil maintains the valve closed; but when the disk rises suiflciently to carry the float above the level of the oil, it-(the float) will descend by its gravity, and thus open the valve.

It will be obvious to mechanics or those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains that there may be numerous forms andmodifications of the same.

The invention is not limited to means for retaining the movable disk adjacent to the bottom of thetank, in which means a fusible ribbon or the like is a part or link, although the latter is greatly to be preferred to any retaining device incapable of being set free directlyor indirectly by the heat of the burning oil, and thus not operating automatically at the instant a fire occurs. I further remark that although it is not absolutely essential the use of a disk 2 of dished form with the central outlet pipe, valve, and means for opening the latter is greatly to be preferred for the reasons hereinbefore explained.

In lieu of the rigid oil-outlet pipe 3 and the rigid pipes 19 and 20 telescopinginto wells in order that they may perform their respective functions, be the elevation of the disk 2 what it may, suitable flexible pipes may be substituted. Further, in-lieu of having a greater space between the periphery of the disk and the tank than is sufficient to permit the free movement of the disk the latter may be close to the side of the tank and be provided with holes or openings adjacent to its periphery for allowing the oil to flow down as the disk ascends.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with the oil-containin g tank, the vertically-movable disk therein, devices for retaining the latter normally adjacent to the bottom of the tank, means for releasing said devices when required,and means adapted to automatically elevate said disk in the tank ,upon the release of said retaining devices, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with the oil-containing tank, the vertically-movable disk therein, devices for retaining the latter normally adjacent to the bottom of the tank, means for re-' leasing said devices when required,and means adapted to automatically elevate said disk in the tank upon therelease of said retaining devices, together with the annulus adapted to be engaged by the said disk, substantially as and for'the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with the oil-containing tank. of the vertically-movable disk therein, the depending flange or skirt carried by the latter, means for retaining said disk normally adjacent to the bottom of the tank, and means for automatically elevating said disk upon the release of said'retaining means, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination with the oil-containing tank, of the vertically-movable disk therein, means for retaining the latter normally adjacent to the bottom of the tank, which means are adapted to be released by the heat of burning oil within said tank, and means for elevating .saiddisk automatically upon the release of said retaining devices, subs tantially as and for the purpose set fort-hi 5. The combination with the oil-containing I tank, of the vertically-movable disk therein,-

the inwardly-projecting flange or annulus of said tank, an inflammable or fusible connection for retaining said disk normally adjacent to the bottom of the tank, and weights or the like, connected with said disk and adapted to elevate the latter in the tank upon the severance of said disk-retaining connection, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

6. The combination with the oil-containing tank, of the vertically-movable dished disk therein, devices for retaining the latter normally adjacent to the bottom of the tank, means for elevating said disk upon the release of said retaining devices, the exit-pipe leading from the central portion of said disk, the normally closed valve connected with said pipe and adapted to be opened by the upward movement of said disk at the predetermined time recited, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with the oil-containing tank, of the vertically-movable hollow disk therein, means for charging the latter with water,devices for retaining said disk normally adjacent to the bottom of the tank, means for releasing said retaining devices when required, and means adapted to automatically elevate said disk upon the release of said retaining devices, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination with the oil-containing tank of the vertically-movable, hollow disk therein, the water inlet and outlet pipes communicating with the interior of said disk, de-

vices for retaining the latter normally adjacent to the bottom of the tank, means for releasing said retaining devices when required,

and means adapted to automatically elevate said disk upon the release of said retaining devices, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination with the oil-containing tank, of the vertically-movable disktherein, the annulus against which the latter is adapted to impinge, the connection comprising the chain or the like and the fusible ribbon, or the like, connected thereto and extending across the top of the tank, for maintaining the disk normally adjacent to the bottom of the tank, and means consisting of chains or the like connected to said disk and having weights adapted to draw up said disk when the said ribbon becomes fused from the heat of the burning oil within said tank, substantially 'as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination with the oil-containing tank, of the vertically-movable dished diskv therein, devices for retaining said disk normally adjacent to the bottom of said tank, means for automatically elevating said disk upon the release of said retainingdevices, the

exit-pipe leading from the central part of said disk, the normally closed Valve with which said pipe communicates, the pivoted bar having the float, the fusible ribbon or the like attached to said bar normally disconnecting devices between the latter and said valve, which devices are adapted to be connected upon the fusing of said ribbon, together with the projection of said disk adapted to impinge against said float when said disk is caused to move upwardly, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 5th day of October, A. D. 1901.

JOHN HAZLEDIN E.

Witnesses:

ANDREW V. GRoUPE, WALTER O. PUsEY. 

